Feminine Fire Pt 2: Summer Beauty Foods

Happy June!  So excited to start off this month with a few of my favorite things. Summer, food, and beauty!

It actually wasn't until a few years ago, I started to get into beauty.  Like skincare, makeup, and eyebrows-on-fleek beauty.  (Yes I still use fleek, even fleeky sometimes....)

I was a Jersey Girl in Florida figuring out new roads, befriending new people, living in what felt like another world sometimes.  I was becoming more involved with my full-time job, which was transforming from working in retail, to working in the fashion industry.  I started to put my clothes together differently (I somehow managed to maintain what I call City Tropics), wearing makeup as both a feature enhancer and bold statement, and then looking into natural beauty options.

You see, no matter how much makeup I wore and experimented with, I wanted to stay true to my roots.  Yes, I wore foundation, but would I love my skin even if I didn't?  I caked, contoured, and penciled in every bare spot, and then washed it all off at the end of the night.  Keeping my face clean and healthy became more important than ever before.  I made sure to buy the cleanest vegan makeup I could find and purchasing natural face mask and cleansers.  Read: Shit got expensive.  In Florida, not only did I divulge in this whole other world, I learned to incorporate what I already knew to be true.... Food creates Health and Beauty.

That is when I began to believe in feeling beautiful in every aspect of my life.  From using inside out practices, to creating products to take care of the skin I was in.  

Now that is is Summer and seeing that I started this love in the hot humid days of the south, I thought it was only fitting to do this post as a little tribute .  My Northeast, down South, and West Coast loves can enjoy most of the in season foods and ingredients.  These are just my favorite, there are many more to experiment and enjoy for your specific skin type.  Also because this is food, most of the ingredients are great to use on your skin as well!

Aloe

My summer favorite.  This is a regular/must for me when I travel to hotter and more humid climates.  Aloe serves double duty too!

The Aloe Vera plant has very cooling and healing properties.  Full of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, this plant is great topically or taken internally.  Notice I say plant, get more for your buck ya'll!  Everything from healing rashes, sun burns, to even constipation and digestion.  Quick little tidbit, if you're digestion is not track, most likely neither is your skin. It's in your gut, not genes.  

How To:

• Peel off the skin, chop jelly interior into fine pieces.  Put into a gallon of purified water and refrigerate.  
• To drink, enjoy a glass with some pineapple juice, agave, and/or herbs for an easy go to cocktail.
• To heal irritated or sensitive skin, apply aloe mixture on top and let air dry.  

Avocado

How can I not?  If I don't have avocado in a day, I sometimes feel incomplete, like I missed something so delicious to make it my day/dish ten times better. 

Rich in all the good GOOD fats, which is great for overall body health, the effects are amazing for the skin as well.  These good fats are anti-inflammatory which is also play a key role for the skin.  If you are prone to redness (rosacea), dry patches, and feel your skin becoming dull or loosing elasticity, this is for you!  I find myself more often than not poking and pulling at my skin.  Have I reached the time in my life where I worry about wrinkles?  Yes, I think I have.  But, I embrace it and now have the excuse of eating all the avocados.  Honestly, a win-win.  Also containing antioxidants which repair cell damage, so for those who love the summer sun, you absolutely cannot say no to a bowl of guacamole. 

Whether eaten or applied as a mask, affects are the same! On the skin for fast relief, eaten for overall maintenance.  

Greens

From vegetables such as kale, spinach, and dandelion, to herbs like cilantro and parsley, every green has an abundance of properties to help maintain great skin.  Full of vitamins and minerals that basically start the journey to clean beauty.  Whenever I do a detox, the first thing I notice right away is my skin.  It is calm, clear, and because of less inflammatory foods, less likely to get irritated.  The chlorophyl in greens is one of the most detoxing properties which rid heavy metals and impurities which cleanse your gut and colon, which in turn automatically helps clear your skin.  Vegetables like cucumbers and celery are great for keeping you and your skin properly hydrated, helping the cleansing effect and keeping your skin glowing!

How To:

• You DO NOT need a detox.  Simply just up your greens.  Green juices and monsters, salads, and super greens will do!
• Play with different facial mask using herbs such as parsley or basil.  More to come on next post!

Fruits

Fruits don't get enough praise and love as they should.  They are first healing, full of antioxidants which as previously mentioned help repair cell damage.  Whether from the sun or harsh temperatures, we sometimes miss how to properly care for our face and skin.  Antioxidants are an easy way to do any reversal.  Along with Vitamin C which creates radiance within the skin, it helps to absorb other nutrients such as magnesium which serves your body and sleep well.  My favorites are blueberries and raspberries (I sometimes eat a pint for a light dinner), mangos, pineapples, and watermelon more for hydration.  If there is one thing that your skin is usually missing no matter if you have dry or oily skin, is proper hydration.  

Another plus for fruit, natural sugars which help curb cravings!  Some may have a higher sugar content than others, but I guarantee you, it is better than that piece of cake, ice cream, or even nutrition bar, that you save your calories for.  Those ADDED sugars wreak havoc.  

So there you have you it,  not a complete list, but a great guide to keep your skin looking and feeling amazing.  It all comes down to following three different keys/nutrients... hydration, anti-inflammatory, antioxidants, and CONSISTENCY. 

Yes, I could add all the ingredients and foods to stay a way from, but in reality, I like pizza, meaty tacos, coffee, and a cocktail every now and then.  This practice is called MODERATION.

Dedicated to all my summa lovin' beauties.

Fall Transition Guide: Part 3

Yes! The finale of our transition!  Fall has been here for a full month now?  How has it been?  

There has almost been a confusion in New Jersey.  From 60 degrees to 80 and back in one week. I think it gave most of us a bit more time to get into the groove of Fall.  I must admit, I was super content with the little extended summer feels.  Bright yellow mini skirts and green juices definitely made their appearance.  Now it's time for fun stuff.  The continuous nourishment for the season upon us. 

We have already went through the acceptance, we made progress into making space in our system.  Now we make way into changing routines.  Nothing ever changes if we keep doing the same things.  Here is a way to make the most out of the rest of your Fall and ENTIRE Winter.  

Daily Oil Massages

An Ayurvedic practice and ritual for my seasonal beauties!

Time to switch up your oils first!  In the summer or in hotter climates, I always recommend using coconut oil.  Although, for the winter we want to switch over to almond or sesame oil.  Almond oil, being a bit thicker, it is also enriched with vitamin E which is great to treat dry skin, what most of us suffer from.  This is great to use everyday after a shower, massage oil on wet skin and pat to dry.  This keeps skin moisturized and still feeling light the whole day.

Sesame oil is the ultimate luxury.  Great for end of the day showers to keep skin extra hydrated throughout the whole night.  Not a big night-time cleanser?  A simple foot massage with sesame and essential oil will both warm and relax your body for a great night sleep.  

Daily Routines

More sleep.  This one has definitely been easier for me, than what I'm usually used to.  With shorter days and longer nights, a good 8 hours a night is something to enjoy without guilt.  Another exciting thing for my late risers?  Six in the morning wakeup calls seem fair enough, I think.

Exercise is still top priority.  Keeping the momentum going from summer is just what we need.  This will balance the heavy foods eaten, helping to keep the movement and heat of our digestive system.  If you are active while eating the right foods, you can actually maintain your weight that I know we all worked so hard for in the summer... If not, we'll just say the healthy fats are keeping us Vata selves warm and energized.

There are many other little things and practices we can do everyday to keep us at our healthiest state during this time of year.  I follow many Ayurvedic practices such as daily nasal cleansing and oiling to everyday dry brushing to keep the circulation of the lymph flowing.  Dry brushing will act as both a detox and every day self-care practice. 

Find what special oils and creations work with you to keep your skin looking healthy during this time of year.  Hint, you may glow even in the winter!

think we are due for a beauty post...

Fall Transition Guide: Part 2

Officially here.  The beginning of October.  I've been breaking out my sweaters and boots, feeling so confident I am a little more prepared for what the next few months have in store .  I don't know if you were aware, but there was a new moon last week, and boy did I feel it's raft.  

It was more of a wake up call.  Not one of the easiest, but definitely something that made me rethink, "Why am I doing this and do I still love it?"  So much so, I took a few days break, and this is what I concluded.  I'm going to keep this shit going and growing.  

Let's cleanse.  Let's balance what we eat.  Let's enjoy everything that enters our beautiful bodacious selves.

Cleansing.

We want to rid the body of Toxins.  Toxic buildup over the last few months.  If you are like me, you TRY and do this about twice a year.  So around this time, it's just what you might need for that pick-me-up.  This will readjust our digestive system and make space for what we will need during the winter months.  It's a lot more than you think. 

HOT WATER WITH LEMON

MILK THISTLE

DANDELION ROOT

TRIPHALA 

We are going to reignite the fire within us.  Using one of my favorite ways to treat and care for almost everything... food.  The food will reawaken what may want to become still from the cool air around us.  We are talking mentally and physically, to keep it moving.  I believe to help one, we must help the other.  So for now, let us start with nourishment we put in our bodies.  

CARDONOM/FENNEL/GINGER

PARSLEY

KIMCHI

CITRUS

We focus so much on maintaining this perfect healthy vision.  Or maybe more time figuring it out.  If we can just take one day to one week to reset, you may find the continuation a little easier.  That's the best part.  To keep it going.  

If you are curious of the extremities/benefits of juicing, GO FOR IT.  I highly recommend to try it at least once in your life.  If not, Kitchari, for my Ayurveda believers and lovers.  And when all else seems intimidating in some way, lets eat clean.  

Whole grains, cooked veggies, VEGAN deliciousness.  And I mean, vegan DELICIOUSNESS.

SQUASH CURRY

BEET JUICE

KALE SALADS

STEWED APPLES

Doing this may remind you, more than you like, why you chose it.  Was it reconnecting?  Curiosity? A feeling of accomplishment? To start over?  No matter what the reasoning, there is no wrong answer.  It's because I guarantee you will find something else involved.  You will learn something amazing about yourself and body, that you didn't know possible.  Never underestimate the power of SELF healing.

Ignite your own fire this Fall!